Streaming services have transformed the way we watch TV shows and movies. We no longer delay to a certain date and time to watch something that tickles our muse; there’s an affluent selection available on multiple devices on demand. If you’re looking for the best streaming service in the UK right now, the obvious answer is the streaming giant, Netflix. Nevertheless, the problem occurs here that Netflix only covers a section of the best entertainment you can find in the UK right now. To access the full array of fantastic TV and movies, you’ll require multiple subscriptions. That’s where services such as Amazon Prime Video, Now, Disney Plus and BBC iPlayer come into play. Let’s have a look at the comparisons between the UK’s biggest streaming services, to help you choose a subscription to ensure you get the best buck for your bank.

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4.5/5

As of 2021, Netflix is streaming in over 190 countries, not including China, Crimea, North Korea, or Syria.

 Netflix remains the streaming giant for TV and movies thanks to its ease of use, lack of commericals and original content. It includes a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its myriad competitors.

Laptop, Smart Phone (Apple/Android), Tablet, PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox consoles Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV Selected smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

£5.99 per month for one stream in standard definition. £9.99 per month for up to two screens simultaneously in HD. £13.99 per month for up to four screens simultaneously in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision

Netflix does not offer free trials, but you have the freedom to change the plan or cancel at any time if you decide Netflix isn’t for you. There are no contracts, no canellation fees, and no commitments.

The Queen’s Gambit, The Crown, Stranger Things, Breaking Bad, Tiger King

4.5/5

BBC iPlayer is exclusively available to UK residents.

 BBC iPlayer offers a range of classic, quintessentially British programming. The service offers a regular rotation of great films to enjoy, though you usually only get 30 days to watch them. If a monthly subscription isn’t for you, there’s enough to watch on iPlayer every day without the fees.

Android, Apple, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs, YouView, BT TV Box, Now TV, web browsers

Free for anyone who pays a £159 yearly TV licence fee.

No Free Trial required.

The Missing, I May Destroy You, Life of Mars, Responsible Child, The Salisbury Poisonings, Time, Yesterday, Killing Eve

UK, as of 29 December 2020, you are no longer entitled to stream your NOW Membership in any EU countries.

Now  Sky-owned Now is a streaming service offered for those without access to a satellite dish or who want to watch quality Sky content on a more flexible monthly basis. It offers content to view live and on demand that would normally be broadcast by Sky.

Android, Apple, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs, YouView, BT TV Box, Now TV, web browsers

£9.99 a month for the Entertainment Membership £9.99 a month for the Sports Membership £14.99 Cinema Membership + Boost (Boost it with Full HD, Surround Sound, plus stream on 3 devices at once.) £4.99 per month for a hayu membership – Watch over 8000 episodes of reality TV shows online. Cancel anytime.

7 day free day

Chernobyl, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wire, Succession, Band of Brothers, Joker

3/5

Prime Video is available worldwide – available in over 200 countries and territories (except for Mainland China, Iran, North Korea, and Syria). Initially it was available only to residents of the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Austria.

Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video hosts lots of quality content for streaming. It too makes a range of TV shows that are exclusive to the platform and has content deals for shows made abroad.

Roku, Nvidia Shield TV, PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, Smart TVs, Blu-ray players from Samsung, LG and Sony, some Sony home cinema systems and Sony’s Network Media Player, PCs and Macs, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick and Fire tablets.

After your free trial, Amazon Prime is just £7.99/month. Amazon Prime Video also comes as a default extra for Amazon Prime subscribers. Amazon Prime, UK wide, costs £79 a year and offers one-day delivery, music and instant video streaming and more.

30 day free trial.

5/5

Disney Plus is currently available in 36 countries around the world.

Disney Plus A marvellous and happy place in TV world for Disney fans, Disney Plus has an excellent library of titles in an easy-to-manage interface for an affordable price. Disney brands include Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic, as well as the company’s namesake family-friendly fare.

Android, Apple, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs, Now TV, Sky Q, web browsers

Disney+ costs £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year. Stream on up to four devices at the same time.

N/A

Big Shot, Loki, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, Gravity Falls, The Simpsons

3.5/5

UK and the Republic of Ireland

All 4 Channel 4’s on-demand service, which allows you to watch its channels live (Channel 4, E4 and More4) or catch up on your favourite shows. It also has boxsets, classic shows and exclusive content.

iPhones, iPads and Android devices. You can also access it through PS3, PS4, Windows 10/XBoxOne, YouView, Roku, Samsung, Amazon Fire, FreeviewPlay, Now TV, Sky and Virgin Media.

Free for anyone who pays a £159 yearly TV licence fee. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial of All 4+ and then it costs £3.99 a month.

Free or 14 day free trial with no TV licence

Feel Good, The OC and Bridesmaids’ Secrets & Lies, Derry Girls, The West Wing

5/5

Apple TV Plus is available in 107 countries around the world.

Apple TV Plus A streaming service focused solely on original content, which means you won’t find a large library of older shows with hundreds of episodes to binge. Instead, Apple endeavours to create its own collection of high-quality scripted dramas and comedies.

Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Airplay, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Smart TVs, PlayStation, Xbox

£4.99 a month or first 3 months free when you buy an Apple device. Apple TV+ lets you share your subscription with up to five family members.

7 day free trial

This Morning Show, Dickinson, Little America, Amazing Stories, Servant, The Banker.

2.5/5

UK, US, and Canada, with content varying between versions.

BritBox BritBox is the epitome of British streaming. It has been born through a collaboration effort between the BBC and ITV. It hosts the sort of content we’re traditionally used to seeing on services like Netflix and iPlayer, with the offering bringing together old and new shows from UK broadcasters BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

Mac or PC (via a web browser), Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Select Samsung smart TVs, Select Panasonic smart TVs, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android phones and tablets

£5.99 a month, or £59.99 a year if you pay upfront.

7 day free trial

Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Extras, Love Island, and Wolf Hall

3.5/5

Available to watch worldwide.

National Theatre at Home The National Theatre has faced an existential threat through covid, with live venues taking a huge hit with closures. With the unlikely return of theatre audiences anytime soon the National Theatre at Home now offers a streaming platform. This allows theatre fans to watch live recordings of a selection of stand-out plays from a handful of associated London theatres.

Internet browser or through the National Theatre at Home app, available on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV and Roku TV.

National Theatre at Home costs £9.99 per month or £99.99 per year. Single plays can be rented for three days for £7.99.

There’s no free trial, but the National Theatre regularly streams plays for free on its YouTube channel.

Play recordings from National Theatre Live were filmed-live in the theatre for broadcast to cinemas around the world.

Streaming Insights

Netflix
BBC
Prime
YouTube
ItvPlayer
All4
Now Tv
Sky Go
Google
Sky Star